A slight delay is pushing the launch of DISH Wireless back into the final quarter of 2021. Las Vegas should still expect to receive coverage to the latest major 5G network in America sometime in Q4. After announcing that it would release its 5G network in Q3, DISH Wireless is now stating that its beta service should be on by the end of September.
5G is continuing its momentum in 2021 that it gained in 2020, but nothing got the attention of the wireless world quite like DISH Wireless announcing its upcoming release with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The City of Sin was chosen as the starting point for DISH Wireless with Orlando, Florida, Washington D.C., and many others set to follow. Collaborating with AWS, DISH Wireless is the first wireless network to create a 5G network using cloud-native technology on a public cloud. DISH Wireless is committed to an Open RAN approach which is allowing innovative collaboration to elevate its 5G network features and expedite the deployment process.
DISH Wireless’ journey is just getting started but there are still plenty of obstacles the company has had to overcome within that period. For starters, the obvious deployment process is always going to be a challenge and with DISH Wireless setting a budget of $10 billion, many believe this is impossible. Though the company doesn’t have its own 5G network yet, it does have millions of subscribers through its mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile, and Republic Wireless. In Q2, DISH Wireless lost a total of 201,000 net subscribers, which is better than the Wall Street estimated ~300,000 subscribers.
A lingering variable continues to be the impending shutdown by T-Mobile of its CDMA network. Previously owned by Sprint before the merger, as was Boost Mobile, many Boost customers still rely on the network to connect their devices. The move has been scrutinized by many parties, including DISH Wireless. There is skepticism from DISH who believe it is a ploy to take subscribers back from DISH. To remedy the issue, DISH Wireless signed an agreement with AT&T to last over the next decade. The agreement should help DISH Wireless secure connections for the next 10 years, 12 with the transitional terms of the deal into account, and help save capital for its 5G deployment. There is also speculation that the new deal with AT&T may be a reason for the delays accompanying DISH Wireless’ 5G launch in Vegas.
Q2 would see DISH Wireless spend $201 million on 5G network deployment. Expectations are that this will increase a great deal throughout the rest of 2021. DISH Wireless must cover 70% of Americans by June 2023 with its 5G network to satisfy government terms that allowed it to become a wireless carrier. Failure to do so will cost the company more than $2 billion in fines and more in buildout costs as time is of the essence to create revenue. The company is in a good place right now, generating revenues that can be invested in its 5G network. DISH Wireless reported a total of $1.24 billion in wireless revenue. This includes a service revenue totaling $1.05 billion.
Source: Fierce Wireless
